By Musa Tanimu Nasidi
Candidates elected on Thursday under the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the House of Assembly in Kogi State showed that not all the government endorsed aspirants got the tickets.
Our reporter who monitored the exercise reports, that despite the political intrigues and manipulations of the primaries in favour of some alleged anointed aspirants, delegates exercised their franchise by electing the candidates of their choice.
Though in the Central Senatorial axis, aside Ogori/Magongo (which was not cleared who was the authentic government aspirant), all the Governor’s candidate won.
But in Kogi West expecially in the Okun axis, only two out of the five aspirant endorsed by the government won their tickets.
While government endorsed candidate Yemisi Oshaloto won in Yagba West, it was a different ball game in Yagba East as government endorsed candidate in person of Juwon Abdulwokil lost to Obaro.
In Mopamuro, the government’s candidate Ronke Abayomi popularly refered to as ‘Yaro’ lost to Olawumi Olubumi. The same was witnessed in Kabba Bunu when governor’s candidate in person of Olorunipa lost to Sheyi Bello. Olorunipa polled 16 against Bello’s 40.
In Bassa local government area, government incumbent House of Assembly member Hon Ranyi Daniya
defeated the governor’s anoited candidate, Hon. Alumka who lost woefully.
The Development has given credence to the fact that in Kogi West, aspirant with government appelage oftentimes lost in elections. A situation that was witnessed in time past in Kogi Central.
The focus is now on the Kogi West and East Senatorial district. In Kogi West the governor was said to have endorsed Sunday Karimi against popular choice of Sen. Smart Adeyemi; while in Kogi East the governor is said to have thrown his weight behind incumbent Jibril Isah Echocho against late Abubakar Audu’s kinsman, Prince Aiyede Audu.
A political analyst said if any aspirant is manipulated against popular candidate to win in the Primaries, such candidate is bound to face automatic failure at the general election.
